Rebel of the Family
by podapatti
Summary: Serena Ann Monaco has been living with her grandparents in Hamilton for nine years, ever since her mother died. She's 16 now and her father decided he wants her back home, in Miami. How will she cope with school, Family drama and the ever so loving Darien
1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

I sat on the plane and looked glumly out the window. Everything was going to be so different. I couldn't believe this was really happening. Once the plane landed in the so-called land of Miami, there would be no going back. I was stuck. When I first got the call from my father asking me to come and spend the rest of my high school years with him and my three older brothers, I was angry and confused. For the first time in nine years, I did not know what to do.

I had moved in with my father's parents when my mother died of heart disease. I was hurt and baffled when my father revealed to me that I would not be staying with him anymore. I wanted to know why he was so keen on sending me away but not my brothers. After awhile, I learnt to deal with the fact that my family never called to see how I was doing. They always sent me cards on my Birthday and during Christmas, but no actual communication was ever involved. So you can imagine my surprise when I realized that my grandparents were actually _serious_ in sending me to Miami, under the orders of my 'father'. I had no choice but to sulk around and take every opportunity to throw the tantrums I was so famous of.

My best friends stood by me through this whole ordeal. If there is someone I love on this Earth more than my grand parents, it's my friends. They've stuck by me through thick and thin. A life without them for me would be like a life without chocolate for women. I met my friends when I first moved to Hamilton to live with my grandparents. I was having a hard time with everything and they practically took me under their wings.

I couldn't help but smile when I thought of Mina, Ami and Rei.

I sighed as the plane passed by another cloud. My mother always told me that no matter what happens, always believe in yourself and you'll be on the fast lane to success. The relationship I shared with my mother was very special and something we both cherished. The last thing she said to me on her deathbed was to be happy. I was only 7 years old then; merely a child. It's safe to say that I've grown since then.

As the plane landed, I was brought out of my daydreams and into harsh reality. I took a deep breath a closed my eyes. It was time to meet the people I used to call family.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

I stepped outside the airport and into the humid air of Miami. I couldn't help but feel a bit put off at the fact that nobody was there to greet me at the terminal. I had to carry all my bags by myself and it was not an easy task.

"Damn bags. Ugh! This is what I get for dragging my ass over here when I could be sunbathing by Lita's pool right now. This is just great." I walked around, muttering to myself and shooting death glares at anyone who looked at me questioningly.

I whipped out my cell phone and punched in my Rei's number.

"Sere?" Rei answered

"Hey you! How'd you know it was me?"

"Duh! It's called caller ID!"

"Oh," I giggled "I knew that."

"So what's up? Why are you calling? I thought you were supposed to be at your dad's place right now. Wait a minute! Did something happen? Where are you? What's wrong? Did you get lost? Serena what did you do NOW?"

"Rei calm down! Jesus Christ! Nothing happened. It's just that I don't think anybody's here to pick me up. Can you _believe_ that? The nerve of those people! They can't even do one thing right. How the hell am I supposed to get to my father's place? I don't even know their phone number! This is just great. _How_ do I get myself into these situations?" I whined, not caring if I sounded like a 5 year-old.

"You are _such_ an idiot. How can you have not taken down your father's cell number? Oh good lord! What do I do with this girl? Your head really IS filled with meat balls."

"Well Excuuuuuse me but I had more important things on my mind. I don't even _know_ why I called you! My head is SO not filled with meat balls. Your head is filled with stones. No wonder it's so big."

"Hey, I'm not the one who's stuck at the airport with no place to go." Rei snickered. Sometimes, I could just kill that girl.

"Rei stop being mean and help me find the damn person who's supposed to pick me up."

"How the hell am I supposed to do that? I'm sitting in my room all the way in Hamilton. Wait! Why don't' you call your grandparents? They probably know your dad's number."

"Oooh I didn't think of that. Oops."

"Sere, you hardly _ever_ think."

"You're a bitch." I snapped.

"I know but you love me." Rei laughed.

"Sometimes I wonder why." I sighed and shut my cell phone.

I ran my fingers through my silvery blond hair, as if washing all my troubles away. I looked around and that was when I saw the guy with a sign that had my name on it.

"Hey you! Over here." I waved my arms up and down, trying to get the guy's attention. He didn't seem to hear me so I tried shouting louder.

"Oh great! Now they send a deaf person to pick me up. This day could not get any worse." I grunted and pushed my trolley to the person waiting for me.

"EXCUSE ME!" I shouted in the guy's ear. He jumped up and turned around.

"Miss. Monaco! There you are! I was just looking for you." He stuck out a hand as if he wanted to shake it. "You look just like the picture Mr. Monaco showed me." What a weirdo!

"You were supposed to pick me up like an hour ago." I said, ignoring his hand. "What the hell took you so long? Making the sign?" I raised my eyebrows and looked down at the sign he was holding. It said "SERENA MONACO, WELCOME TO MIAMI" It was really glittery and filled with flowers. I normally would have loved it, but I was hungry, sleepy and in a very cranky mood.

"I'm so sorry miss. It's just that the traffic was so heavy and Mr. Monaco was supposed to come and pick you up, but he had a very important business deal to be taken care of." The driver mumbled and looked down. I suddenly felt bad for taking out my frustration on him.

"No, that's ok. It's all good. At least you're here now. What's your name?" I asked in a softer tone.

"It's Melvin, Ms. Monaco." He said with a wide, toothy grin.

"All right Melvin, could you please help me with my bags? I don't think I could take it all to the car." I asked, picking up a couple of my handbags.

Melvin and I walked to the limo parked in one of the driveways. I got into the limo while he stuffed in my luggage into the back.

I closed my eyes from the exhaustion and allowed my self to drift off into dreamland. I had hardly closed my eyes for a minute when suddenly Melvin announced that we'd arrived. I looked out the window and nausea hit me full on. I remembered the last time I'd seen this place. It was so long ago but I could remember it as though it was just yesterday. I shook myself, determined not to cry. I slowly got out of the limo, not bothering to help Melvin as he struggled with my luggage. I looked around me. Everything was the same. The garden was overflowing with flowers and the grass was a modest green. I nervously walked up the stairs and rand the bell. A portly man with graying hair answered the door.

"Mr. Smithers!" I squealed, giving him a hug. The butterflies that had been in my stomach a few seconds ago were now long gone. "It's been so long. You look the same except for a few hairs misplaced here and there."

"And you, Miss. Monaco have completely changed." Mr. Smithers chuckled, "If anything, you've grown more beautiful than the last time I saw you."

"Oh psh, Smithers. Flattery gets you nowhere." I smiled and hugged the old man once more. Ever since I was young, Smithers was my favorite out of all the house hold staff. He made me laugh and treated me like his own daughter.

"That's what me wife says, too." He replied, shaking his head. "Now, you come with me and let's find you something to eat." Linking arms, we walked towards the kitchen.

"I'M HERE!" I shouted gleefully, walking in through the door with Smithers.

"Good lord, child! You've grown. Oh! And you look just like your mama. God bless her soul." Mrs. Locust gushed, rushing over to welcome me with open arms. Mrs. Locust was the house cook and the food she made was to die for.

"Aaw thank you, Mrs. Locust. You all haven't changed a bit." I beamed, looking at the warm faces around me.

Once Mrs. Locust had stuffed my face with more than enough of my favorite Black forest cake, she and Smithers ushered me out of the kitchen to go get some rest. Melvin showed me to my room, where he had put all my bags. I closed the door and sighed. This was not so bad after all, I decided.

Of course, the hardest part of the trip had not arrived yet, which was meeting my family. It seemed that my father had gone to fix something with a client of his and my brothers were at some football game with their friends. I would see them all at dinner, which was in a few hours. It shouldn't have surprised me. I should have known that my family would not have been here to welcome me. But, I could not help but feel hurt that they'd shown so openly how much they didn't care.

Shaking myself off of anymore thoughts that concerned my family, I started to unpack. Unpacking was a hard job, since I had brought all my clothes, accessories, shoes and everything else that mattered to me, which was a lot. There were still some boxes filled with more of my stuff being shipped in from Hamilton after my arrival.

Once I had finished unpacking, I took a good look around my room. It was large, adjoined with its own bathroom. There was a huge canopy bed, with a dresser and chairs. There was a television on the other side of the room with a couple of sofas surrounding it. I walked in to the bathroom. Not surprisingly, it was also massive. I sighed and went back into my room to take out the necessities I needed to take a long, hot shower.

An hour later I emerged from the bathroom in my robe, feeling fresh and clean. I quickly blow-dried my hair and put on a long sweatshirt. I looked at the clock. It was only 5:30pm. Dinner was at 8pm, so I had about 2 hours to waste. I plopped onto one of the sofas to see if anything good was on the Television.

I must have dozed off because one of the maids, Molly, was knocking on my door, informing me that dinner would be in half an hour. I thanked her and shut my door. My mind went all of a sudden into panic mode.

I quickly punched in Lita's number and waited for her to pick up.

"Hello" Lita answered. I felt a wave of relief wash over me,

"OMG! Leets! You've gotta help me. I have to eat dinner with the 'devil family' in like 25 minutes and I've NO idea WHAT to wear!" I wailed into the phone.

"Sere, you've got to be kidding me. You probably have more clothes than Misha Barton and Kate Hudson put together." Lita exclaimed.

"Maybe, but that doesn't mean anything. Oh god Lita. What am I going to _do_?" I sighed into the phone.

"You're making a big deal out of nothing. Just wear your jeans and that nice brown top you have. The one with flowers on it."

"But it's BROWN." I wrinkled my nose "What about the pink one? I like pink!" I said.

"Nah, it's too sluttish. I like the brown one better. But if you don't like my choice, way don't you wear the nice red top? It's so pretty." Lita said thoughtfully.

"Which one are you talking about? The long one or the one with the sequins?"

"Obviously the one with the sequins. It's gorgeous. But wear a pair of white pants with it. That'll look good. Wow! You guys really get dressed for dinner, don't you?" Lita laughed.

"Tell me about it. I'm surprised they don't wear suits to dinner. It's such a pain." I grumbled.

"Sere, I know this is hard for you. But everything's going to be fine. I promise. Besides, if any one of them hurts you, just tell us and we'll kick their ass."

"Aaw, thank Leets." I laughed "I'll remember that. Anyways, I gotta go now but I'll call you later with all the details. Love you."

"You better call me. Love you too, hun" Lita said and hung up.

I clicked off the phone and started getting ready. I changed into the top Lita had told me to wear and found a pair of white jeans that matched. I brushed my golden hair till it shined and shimmered. Then, I applied some bronze eyes-shadow and lined my eyes with a thick black-liner. I dusted my lashes with mascara to make my eyes seem even bluer than they already were. I dusted some rouge onto my cheeks to give it a healthy glow and put on some lip gloss. I sprayed a little bit of Rykiel Rose onto my neck and stood back to inspect myself. The red top clung to me nicely, showing off not too much. My hair was loose and for once it was just the way I wanted it. My make-up looked good, too. I smiled in satisfaction. I looked good. I put on a pair of sandals and walked out my door.

I descended down the stairs and winked at Melvin, who blushed a deep red and looked down. He showed me to the dining room where everyone was seated.

I took a deep breath and pushed open the doors.

Let the games begin.


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

All eyes were on me as I took my seat at the table. Father had not arrived yet but all three of my brothers were present.

"So, Serena…" Justin, my elder brother, started.

I looked at him questioningly.

"How do you like Miami so far?" He tried again.

"I wouldn't know. The only part of "Miami" I've seen so far is the airport."

"I see. Well, why don't you come out with me and a couple of my friends after dinner? We could show you around." He asked, ignoring my sarcastic tone.

"I think I'll pass." I replied with a sickly sweet smile.

"Suit yourself. It's your loss." I could see he was surprised I was being so hostile. But what did he expect after all these years.

"Hardly" I knew I was being impossible but I couldn't help it. I wasn't in the mood to play nice.

"So, you're in grade eleven, right?" Jake inquired. "We're in twelfth so if you get lost, we'll be there to help you out." Jake was Justin's twin. He was older than Justin by a couple of minutes.

I shrugged and dug into my food.

"So, where's…um…you know-"

"Where's Dad?" Matt inquired softly. Matt was in his third year of university. We used to be really close when I was young. But that was a long time ago.

"Yeah" I said, pretending to be really interested in my food.

"Dad never makes it to dinner. He's always away on business trips. We hardly ever see him." Jake piped up.

"Okay. Well, I was just asking."

The rest of the dinner went by in awkward silence. When I was sure no one was looking, I would steal glances at my brothers. Jake and Justin had grown up to be very handsome, just like my father. Matt and I looked more like our mother, with out silvery blond hair. I caught Matt looking at me a few times, but he quickly looked away each time.

Dinner was almost over and I was secretly pleased that nothing drastic had happened. I had maintained my cool throughout the meal and I was sure I seemed sophisticated and disciplined. Everything was going smooth. That is, until HE showed up. Until Darien Shields entered my life once again. Let me tell you about Darien:

He is one of the worst kinds of male species there is out there. He is cocky, annoying and infuriating all at the same time. He is also one of the most gorgeous guys you will ever come across. He excels in everything he does, be it studies or sports. He also happens to be Matt's best friend. Even at the age of five, he made me boil with fury. So you can just imagine my disbelief when he walked into the dining room. I recognized him right away. He had midnight black hair with piercing blue eyes that could see right into your soul. He was tall and well-built. In general, he was the object of envy of all males and the object of praise for the females.

He looked around as if searching for something and when he saw me, he smirked in that arrogant way of his.

"Well, if it isn't our little Serena. You back home already?" He smirked.

"Bite me, shields." I spat out.

"Only if you ask me nicely, princess"

"When pigs fly" I retorted.

He raised his eyebrows. "You haven't changed a bit. Still got that sharp tongue, I see. Your head seems to have gotten a bit big, though." He laughed, studying me.

I gave him the middle finger, which must have surprised both him and my brothers.

Darien raised his eyebrows. "Whoa princess. Play nice."

"I am not playing anything with you, Shields. What the hell are you doing here? Don't you have anything better to do than piss me off?"

"Don't flatter yourself, hun. I just came here to pick up Matt. We're heading out, so you don't have to worry about me hanging around."

"Do I look like I give a shit? I don't think so. I'm so outta here." I rolled my eyes and stomped out, not bothering to finish my dinner.

I trudged up to my room and decided to retire early, since I didn't have much to do anyway. I went off into dreamland the minute my head hit the pillow, my mind weary from the day's events.


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

"I'm bored, bored, bored and BORED!" I complained to Ami as I fell back onto the bed. "I have no friends. I'm a loner. I'm probably going to turn out like one of those ancient baggy ladies who have no life."

"Sere, what are you talking about? You have lots of friends here in Hamilton! Or have you already forgotten about us?" Ami questioned.

"Oh, come on. You know I don't mean it like that, hun. It's just that I have no one to chill with in Miami." I explained. "School doesn't start in two more weeks and the only person I know who's close to my age is the driver, Melvin."

"Okay," Ami sail slowly "So why don't you hang out with Melvin? Go to the movies with him. Or even better head to the beach."

"Ames, are you out of your mind? Melvin and I are not that close. Besides, if I asked him, he would probably think I'm asking him out on a date or something." I rolled my eyes "I know what you're thinking- He's NOT boy friend material."

"Not even a little?"

"NO!"

"Well, I'm sure he has a nice personality. You shouldn't care what a guy looks like on the outside, Sere. What matters is what's on the inside."

"You've told me this like a gazillion times. But trust me when I say this: Melvin. Is. Not. Boyfriend. Material."

Ami laughed. "Okay. I'll lay off on this one. So are there any other cute guys?"

"How the hell would I know?" I rolled on to my back "I haven't had a chance to properly look. I've only been here like two days. I did see Darien, though. I suppose he could be considered cute. But don't tell him I said that"

"Darien? Darien Shields? The same Darien who apparently drove you crazy? He was all you could talk about when you first came to Hamilton."

"Oh please! That was SO ten years ago!" I studied my nails.

"Sere…"

"What?"

"Wasn't Darien your first kiss?" Ami giggled.

"OH. MY. GOD." I shot up straight "Don't EVER bring that topic up again. I can't believe you would remind me. I still haven't properly recovered from that damn kiss. What was he THINKING? I was like seven years old. I should have charged him with child molestation or something."

"Darien was a kid, too. How can you charge a kid with child molestation?" Ami laughed.

"No comment" I muttered.

"Wow sere, you're in serious denial. I suggest you do something about it. Anyway, I have to go now. Greg's picking me up in an hour to go to the movies."

"Thanks a lot, Ami. Ditch me for the boyfriend" I rolled my eyes.

"I'm not ditching you, doofus. You need to get out there and mingle. Maybe then you'll actually find some friends. Or even better, a boyfriend."

I could practically SEE Ami winking through the phone.

"Yea whatever." I mumbled. "Call me later."

"I will. Love you"

"You too."

I clicked off the phone and closed my eyes. SINGLE AND READY TO MINGLE.

Flashback

"_Matt!" seven-year-old Serena hollered. "Darien's bugging me again"_

"Am not! If you would quit being such a baby about everything, then maybe we'll let you in our secret club" Darien smirked.

"_I don't wanna be in your stupid club. All you guys do is dig up worms and look at half-naked women. I'm gonna make my own club. It's gonna be so much prettier than yours." Serena stuck her tongue out at him._

"_We'll see about that. Guys are stronger than girls. We'll beat you up."_

"_Nuh-uh. Matt wont let you. I'll ask him and Justin and Jake to protect me."_

"_Your brothers can't always protect you."_

"_Can too"_

"_Can not"_

"_Can too"_

"_Can not"_

"_Yes"_

"_No"_

"_Yes"_

"_No"_

"_YES!"_

"_OOOW!" Darien fell to the ground, grabbing his shin. "You kicked me!"_

"_Serves you right for being mean to me." Serena stuck her tongue out at him and grinned. _

_Darien got up and walked slowly towards Serena, with a look in his eyes that wiped the grin completely off her face._

_Shrieking, Serena dashed off as fast as her little feet could carry her. _

_Darien soon caught up to her, snatching her off her feat and swinging her over his shoulders._

"_Aaaah! Put me down you jerk" Serena screamed kicking her legs and struggling as much as she could._

"_Not until you tell me sorry."_

""_Fine! I. Am. Sorry. NOW PUT ME DOWN!"_

"_You still have to do something for me. Then I'll forgive you."_

"_I'm not doing anything for a creep like you."_

"_Then I guess I wont put you down."_

"_Nooo. Darien. Please don't be mean."_

"_You kicked me! This is all your fault."_

"_Fine! What do you want me to do?"_

"_Kiss me"_

"_Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat! Not way! I'll get pregnant." Serena shrieked._

_Darien started laughing. "Who told you that?"_

"_I'm not completely stupid, you know. When a girl and a guy kiss, the girl always gets pregnant. I've seen it on TV. The girl and the guy kisses, and then BAM! She's having a baby."_

"_Wow princess, no wonder your hair's blonde. That's not how it works. A lot of stuff happens after that. They just don't show you that stuff on TV because then little girls like you will get grossed out."_

"_Fine! I don't care. Now put me down. I'm getting dizzy."_

"_Only if you agree to kiss me."_

"_Are you sure I wont get pregnant?" _

"_Of course I am. I know everything." Darien puffed out his chest. He slowly lowered Serena onto the ground. "Okay. Now all you have to do is close you eyes real tight, pucker you lips and lean in towards me. On the count of three."_

"_Wait"_

"_What?"_

"_How long are we supposed to kiss?"_

"_For five seconds."_

"_Five whole seconds?" Serena's eyes widened._

"_Yes" Darien said impatiently "On the count of three…One. Two. Three."_

_Serena shut her eyes real tight and puffed out her lips and bent forwards…_

"_Serena! You're supposed to lean in towards ME, not the ground."_

"_Well how was I supposed to know where you were? My eyes where CLOSED, remember? I can't see with my eyes closed." Serena grumbled, getting up and brushing off the grass off her shirt. _

"_I don't know why I put up with you. You can leave your eyes open until the last moment. Ready?"_

"_Yup"_

"_Okay. One…Two…Three."_

_Serena leaned in towards Darien and pressed her mouth to his. She made sure her eyes were closed real tight and that her lips were as puckered as it could possibly be. Suddenly, she felt something warm and wet brush against her lips. Her eyes shot open._

"_Ooooow! Serena! You kicked me again!"_

"_Well, you put your tongue against my mouth. Now I have your cooties." She shuddered. _

_Darien rolled his eyes. "Ooooh! You have cooties now that you kissed me. Honestly Sere. You are such a baby!"_

"_Then why did you kiss me?" _

"_Just experimenting. Besides, you kiss like a little girl. Beryl kisses like a real woman." Darien smirked. _

_Serena scowled and swung her leg hard. But this time, she made sure it landed right between the legs. People might think of her as dumb, but she knew that whenever somebody hit guys between their legs, it seemed to hurt a lot. It worked, too. Darien collapsed on the ground, his face twisted in pain._

"_I might kiss like a little girl. But I kick like a woman" Smirking at Darien's form on the ground, she flipped her long blonde hair and marched off._


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

I ran my fingers through my blonde tresses for the hundredth time. I was sitting in the family room, waiting for my father to arrive. It turned out that my father came home earlier than he was supposed to, which was very rare. He immediately demanded for a meeting with me, so I had to draw myself out of my daydreaming about (okay, I admit it) Darien and drag my butt down to the family room. The family room was probably the most impersonal room in the house. It was huge, and consisted of a fireplace, a sofa set and a few other furniture pieces here and there. Hanging above the fireplace was a huge family photo. It was taken when my mother was still alive. We all looked so happy then. Just like an all-American, perfect family. Which, of-course, is complete bullshit.

I sat down on the plush sofa and grabbed one of the magazines sitting on the coffee table, wondering how long it would be until my father 'blessed' me with his presence. Fortunately, I didn't have to wait long.

He looked completely the same. I'd expected him to be balding and a little pudgy around the waist. But he looked young as ever and his hair never looked healthier except for a few gray hairs. He appeared fit and up to shape. My father's eyes finally landed on me. He nodded in acknowledgement.

I couldn't believe my eyes. After all these years, that's the best he can come up with? I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised. My father could care less about me. With my mind full of hurt and my heart full of hatred, I turned my cold eyes back to my father.

"Serenity. I see you're here" He stated, "I trust that you had a good trip."

I shrugged.

All small talk set aside, my father got down to business.

"I wanted to see you to inform you of the school you will be attending. You'll be going to the same school as your twin brothers. Hazel McCallion Private School, I believe. I heard that you attended a public school back in Hamilton. What's it called? Westmount? "

"It's called West_dale_." I corrected him.

"Westmount and Westdale, same thing. Anyway, you'll be required to wear uniforms. Hazel is a very respected school, unlike many of the schools in Hamilton. You can go with Jake and Justin to purchase your uniforms. There's no point making two trips for the same school uniform."

"What are you talking about? Westdale is a well-known school in Hamilton. It's among the top ten schools in Ontario!" I was seething. How dare this man try to put down my high school? What an ass!

"I'm not saying that Westdale is a bad school, Serenity, I'm just pointing out that schools in Miami are obviously much more advanced and proper than the ones in Hamilton."

"You're entitled to your own opinion, as I am to mine. And in my opinion, Hamilton kicks butt. We could take on Hazel any day and beat their sorry asses all the way home." I declared. My eyes widened as I realized what I said. There was hardly a time when I could control my tongue. It was my trademark back in Westdale and I knew that if I didn't learn to keep my mouth shut, I would be in trouble. Big trouble.

"Serenity Ann Monaco! Control your tongue, young lady." My father snapped. "I never want to hear you speak like that to me again. I'm your father and respect is something I demand from all my children."

"My father! You say you're my father? You certainly didn't act like one for the past eight years. Where the hell where you when I actually needed a dad?"

"Control your tongue, Serenity. It's a wonder how my parents put up with you in Canada."

"Grandma and grand pa were the best parents I could ask for. I don't know how you could be related to them, considering the fact that you're cold, ruthless and selfish. You're everything they're not. And you know what? I'm glad mom died. At least she wouldn't have to see your face anymore. At least she wouldn't have to bear with the knowledge that you're the father of her children. God did her a big favor by taking her away from you. She-"

SLAP 

My cheek was numb with pain. I peered into my father's livid eyes and then looked down at his hand. That same hand had just slapped me. Never in my life had anyone hurt me so much, both emotionally and physically.

My eyes filled with tears.

"I'm glad mom died," I whispered, throwing open the big oak doors and running out. I ran down the dark corridors as if my life depended on it. Tears were now flowing freely from me. I desperately wanted to get away. I felt trapped, as though no matter how much I tried nothing would ever be okay. I suddenly collided with a hard body, and would have gone flying had it not been for the hands that prevented me from doing so. I looked up to meet the questioning gaze of Justin.

"What is it, Sere?" he inquired softly. "What's wrong?"

Sobs racked my body as I held on to him.

"Shh. It's okay. Everything is fine. Take deep breaths. You'll be fine." He whispered into my hair, running his hand up and down my back in an attempt to calm me.

I suddenly felt sick. I wanted to go back home. Back to Lita, Ami and Rei. Back to the loving faces of my grandparents. Back to the people who loved me. I wrenched myself away from him and sprinted down the hall, almost tripping over a stunned Jake. I could hear Justin running after me. I ran all the way to my room and shut the door before securely locking it, ignoring Justin banging on my door. I crawled onto my bed and curled myself up into a ball, shutting my eyes and putting my arms over my head, praying that my hurt and pain would go away. Wishing that my tears would end.

Hey guys! Thanks to all the ppl who reviewed. It totally made my day…keep them comin…


	6. Chapter 6

Hey guys! Ok, I know I took a while in updating this chapter but since school started I've been real busy…Homework is piling up and it really sucks. I'll try to update as soon as I can but I don't know how long that is. Most likely two to three weeks. But give me a break, okay? Being a teenager is really hard with parents breathing down your neck and constant guy problems. Anyway, keep the reviews coming coz they totally help. I need to know that enough people are interested in reading this story. Otherwise, I'm just wasting my time writing this story and what's the point in that?

Thanks to all the people who reviewed. You guys are awesome!

Btw, I DO NOT OWN SAILOR MOON!

I stared at myself in the bathroom mirror. I looked like complete shit. I was awake half the night, thinking about my life. I didn't know what caused me to act that way. The minute I saw my father, all the hurt I'd kept bottled inside of me just came hurtling out. It's funny how life works. The people who have the perfect lives seem to be the people who least deserve it. And people like me, who never did any harm to anyone, gets all the unfairness of the world. I had to admit that I was surprised by what Justin did yesterday. I didn't think he cared. I supposed I misjudged my brothers a little. After all, it was not their decision to send me away. I tiredly rubbed my eyes. It was only eleven thirty in the morning. Taking off my robe, I opened the shower curtain and stepped in. Turning on the hot water, I moved under the hard spray. I let the water pour down my back, watching as it slithered through my stomach and onto my legs. I sighed and rested my head onto the tiled wall. There was no reason for me to stay here. For the life of me, I still could not figure out why my father wanted me live here with him so much. He clearly hated me. It was more than evident from the way he treated me yesterday. I really hoped Justin wouldn't tell anyone what he saw yesterday. I can't believe I actually cried in front of him. He probably thinks I'm a total crybaby. God, can this get anymore embarrassing?

An hour and a half later I emerged from the bathroom feeling much better. I sighed as I sat down on my bed. I still felt a bit sick and I could feel my body temperature rising. I slept for another few hours, waking up at around four in the afternoon. I was starving but didn't feel like going downstairs. I grabbed the phone next to me and dialed the kitchen phone number. I barely remembered it but after a few tries I finally got it.

"Hello?" an unfamiliar female voice answered.

"Hi. Umm…this is Serena Monaco. I was…wondering if you could…umm…send up some food up to my room. I would come down but I'm not feeling great. Is that okay?" I muttered into the phone.

"Certainly Miss. Monaco. Is there anything in particular you need?"

"You can ask Mrs. Locust. She knows what I like."

"All right ma'am, someone will be right up with your food."

I thanked the girl and hung up the phone. I snuggled back down under the warm covers and stared up at the ceiling. I had not eaten the whole day, so my stomach ached a bit. I sighed impatiently and glanced at the door, wondering what was taking so long. I was famished, and a hungry Serena was never a pretty sight. After waiting awhile, I grew restless. I was about to grab the phone again when someone knocked on the door.

"It's open." I yelled out. "Took you long enough." I muttered to myself.

The door slammed open, revealing a grinning Justin. He was carrying two boxes of pizza.

"Hey Serena," he greeted, barging into my room as if we were the best of friends "What's up?"

"What are you…I asked for…how…" I sputtered, my mouth wide open in surprise.

Justin grinned "I was in the kitchen grabbing a quick bite when you called. Being the charming gentleman I am, I decided to do Mrs. Locust a favor and decided to buy some pizza and shit for you. I decided to buy some for myself since I'll probably get hungry watching you eat."

I stared at him blankly.

"Oh wait! You like pizza right? I forgot to ask. If you don't like it, I could go out and quickly grab something else…" He trailed off.

"No that's okay. Pizza's good." I smiled and moved the covers over so Justin could sit.

He smiled back and sat down on the bed, putting the boxes in front of him.

The door opened again. This time it was Jake, and he wasn't smiling.

"Dude! What the hell? You totally ditched me out there. I had to carry this damn shit all the way up. Not cool, man." He said, pointing irritably to the grocery bags he were carrying.

"I carried the pizzas" Justin retorted.

"The pizzas are light."

"I still carried _something_."

"You're such a wuss. You can't even carry a few grocery bags."

"Loser"

"Ass-hole"

"Dick head"

"Shit face"

"Poo licker"

"Pussy muncher"

"At least I get some. The only action you get is from guys." Justin snickered.

I'd had enough. I was _starving_ and I wasn't in the mood to see my older brothers fight like a pair of five year olds. Wait! What am I saying? Five year olds are probably mature compared to these two.

"Guys! Quit it! I'm starving. Let me get some food into my stomach and then you guys can argue all you want."

Jake glared at Justin and came and sat down on the bed next to me. I grabbed a pizza slice, gobbling it down quickly. I reached for my second slice when I noticed that my brothers were staring at me.

"What?" I mumbled between bites "I'm hungry"

Laughing, they each grabbed their own slices.

I had to hand it to them. They had excellent taste in food. Everything from chocolate covered strawberries to triple fudge chocolate had been purchased. There were Doritos, Snicker bars, Gatorade and fries. It was a meal fit for a girl. I knew I was supposed to be 'hating' them, but after last night, I realized I totally misjudged them. And hey, anybody who buys me food is automatically in my good books.

We talked for hours, laughing and teasing each other. I had to admit I felt better than I did in weeks. Neither of my brothers brought up the subject of our father, and I really appreciated that. I soon found myself telling them about my life in Hamilton. I told them about my friends, the crazy things we did. I told them about Grandma's chocolate chip cookies (they're to die for) and about Grandpa's corny jokes (he finds them on the internet). I found an overprotective side in my brothers when I told them about my first boyfriend.

"How many boyfriends have you had so far?" Jake questioned, munching on a donut.

I shrugged. "Around eight"

"Eight! How old are you? Like fourteen? It should be against the law to have so many boyfriends" he fumed.

I rolled my eyes. "I'm _sixteen_, Jake. Besides, how many girlfriends have you had? Like a hundred?"

"That's different! I'm a guy."

"_So?_" I raised my eyebrows.

"But you're my sister!" he exclaimed.

"_So?_" I asked again.

"You're still a virgin, right?" Justin inquired.

"_Justin!_" I hit him with a pillow.

"What? I'm just asking."

"You don't ask girls that! Especially not your sister." I scolded him.

"Sorry" he grinned sheepishly. "So, does that mean that you _are_ a virgin?"

I threw a pillow at his head.

"OW!" He exclaimed, rubbing his head.

"Don't tell me that actually hurt!" I giggled, "You're such a weakling."

Jake rolled his eyes. "You don't know the half of it. He always wimps out whenever there's a fight."

"Hey!" Justin protested, "That's not fair. You guys can't team up on me."

I wiggled my eyebrows "Why not?"

He grabbed another pillow and whacked me on the face with it. I yelped, almost falling off the bed. I mock glared at Justin. "Oh, it's _on_, buddy"

I took the pillow nearest to me and smacked Justin. Jake joined it, too and soon we were running around my bedroom, hitting each other with pillows and wrestling each other. Jake took a hold of my arms and Justin had a grip on my legs. They swung me back and forth, making me laugh harder. I shrieked, pretending that I was going to throw up. They immediately dropped me and I landed on the floor with a _thud_. I made a beeline for the door, sticking my tongue out at them. I quickly darted out into the hallway, running towards the staircase. I looked behind me and saw that they were running after me, armed with pillows in each hand. _Uh-oh_. I was completely helpless. I needed to act fast. Suddenly, an idea popped into my head. The living room had plenty of cushions. Enough for me to win the pillow fight. _Yes_. I laughed gleefully, scampering towards the living room. I managed to reach there before either of my soon-to-be-murdered brothers caught up with me. I banged open the doors that led to the living room, a huge grin on my face. _Big mistake_.

My oldest brother, Matt, was there. But it wasn't just him. A group of young people sat around him. They looked as though they'd just stepped fresh off the cover of _Vogue_. They were all gorgeous! But that was not the worst part. No siree. The worst part was that Darien Shields was there. Yup. The devil himself. And boy, did he look amused.

"Uh…I was just…just…" I stammered. Oh God! Please kill me and kill me now!

My infamous twin brothers chose that moment to run into the room. I winced knowing how stupid we must look. All three of us had feathers in our hair, sticking out from all ends. My hair had not been brushed since morning, I had not one ounce of make-up on and I was in my _pajamas_. Imagine going to a Golden Globe party and standing next to all those super beautiful celebrities in worn out rags. _That's_ how I felt.

I was beyond embarrassed. But my brothers thought this situation was hilarious.

"Hey, Matt," Justin greeted.

Matt nodded in akowledgement.

"Who's the girl?" one of the guys inquired, looking me up and down. He was cute, with dirty blonde hair and nice, broad shoulders.

"This is Serena, our sister." Jake announced, putting his arm around me, shooting a warning glance at the guy. I suppressed a smile. Jake was too protective for his own good.

"Hey princess, nice outfit. But isn't it a bit too late for you to be running around in your pj's?" Darien commented.

I shot him a dirty look. Trust Darien to make me look bad in any situation.

"You two know each other?" One of the girls who were sitting next to Darien asked. She had platinum blonde hair (obviously dyed) and _waaay_ too much make-up on. She was clinging to Darien's arm quite painfully.

"Sere and I go way back. Don't we, princess?" Darien asked softly, looking right at me.

I blushed and quickly looked away, hoping nobody noticed. Justin cleared his throat. "Uh anyway, sorry about barging in like that, guys. We were just having a pillow fight. Which, of course, I was winning." He winked.

"Oh hell, no. I was so kicking your ass back there." I retorted.

"No way!"

"Yuh-uh"

"Wanna fight about it?"

"Bring it on buddy." I challenged.

"I will" Justin swooped down and picked me up, throwing me over his shoulder. I yelped, trying to get down.

"Bye guys. I would stay longer but I have fight to win" Justin saluted, walking out the door.

Jake followed soon after, and I heard the doors close. Justin put me down. "Whew," he said, pretending to wipe sweat off his forehead. "The tension was pretty think in there."

"Yeah, I noticed it, too." Jake nodded "The girls were glaring at you and the guys looked as though they could eat you up with a spoon."

"Huh?" I was confused "Why?"

"Jeez, Sere," Justin shook his head. "Whaddaya think? The dudes are clearly taken with you and the ladies are jealous. The Monaco family is known for their good looks." He puffed out his chest "Especially me."

"Riiiight" I rolled my eyes. "But I didn't see any of the guys checking me out. Well, except for that guy who asked you who I was. But he was just curious."

"That's because you were too busy staring at Darien." Jake snickered.

I punched his arm "I totally wasn't."

Justin laughed. "Its okay, Sere. Besides, I don't think Darien exactly minds. Though I'm sure that blonde hussy of his does."

We walked back up the stairs. They continued to tease me about Darien and I continued to pretend I didn't care. But I did; I cared a lot, and that's what scared me the most.


	7. Chapter 7

I sighed and looked out the window of my Science class. Physics is such a bummer. School had started over five months ago and I was still not used to my new school's time schedule. There were six periods in a day. Six! Back home, there were only four. Each class lasted about fifty minutes, which was not that bad.

Justin, Jake and I had become really close in the past few months. We hung out whenever we could. At school I had a few friends here and there but that was it. Half the time, girls came over to gush about how 'hot' my brothers were. I assured them that seeing Jake and Justin in the morning with pillow marks over their faces and toothpaste foam gushing out of their mouths is not such a turn on. Most of my brothers' friends at Hazel McCallion saw me as the 'little sister'. They thought I was adorable and cute (gag me with a spoon) and even went as far as to pinching my cheeks as though I was a five-year-old in the school hallways. I went dateless for dances and any other functions at my school. Some guys at Hazel asked me out but I always refused. I was fine with not having a boyfriend. I smiled to myself. Rei would have a fit if she knew that. The truth to the matter was that I couldn't stop thinking about Darien Shields. He was always over at my house, usually hanging out by the pool with Matt and his clique. I tried my best to avoid him but we did have a few encounters. My hormones went crazy whenever I thought about him. I didn't have a clue as to why I was feeling like this, or why Darien, of all people, was the object of my fantasies. I suppose some things will always be a mystery.

The bell rang, jolting me out of my daydreaming. I gathered my books and walked to the lower gym, waving at a few familiar faces. I saw Justin by the bleachers with a few of his friends. Since Justin and Jake were seniors, they were allowed to take a free period for their last class. They usually hung out in the gym, and then waited for me to get out of class. Jake had gone for a tournament with his basketball team in Orlando, so he was not there.

I smiled as I walked over.

"Hey Sere," Justin greeted me. "Michael's going to drop you off home. I have to go downtown for something."

I raised my eyebrows. I knew Justin well enough to know that he was referring to a girl. I shook my head and smirked, letting him know with my eyes that I knew what he was talking about. "Sure, no problem."

Michael nudged me. "Ready to go, sugarplum?"

I nudged back. "You know I'm always ready for you, angelpants."

Michael and I always called each other by cheesy nicknames. It started when we first met, and we still haven't grown tired of it. He only calls me by my actual name when he's with other girls.

We walked to the parking lot, grabbing a couple of sodas from the vending machine along the way. We blasted up the radio and sang along to "We Belong Together" by Mariah Carey on the way home, trying to see who could sing the loudest. I cracked up when Michael tried to sing the high notes. He dropped me off home, and I blew him a kiss.

I dropped off my stuff in my room, changed into a pair of sweats and skipped down to the kitchen. I went in and grabbed an apple, hugging Mrs. L before walking out. Molly, a friend of mine from school, was supposed to come over tonight. She was sleeping over. She'd rented out some movies and I was in charge of the food. What a better way to spend a Friday night. I shrugged to myself. I was not into wild partying. Small get-togethers were more my type of thing.

I walked into my room and grabbed the phone, punching in Molly's cell number. I munched on my apple waiting for her to pick up.

"Hello?"

"Hey Mols, when you coming?" I asked, my mouth full.

"Sere? Wow I didn't recognize you for a second."

I laughed "That's cuz I'm eating an apple. Keeps the dentists away."

"You're always eating something." I could practically see Molly shaking her head. "Anyway, I'm going to there in like fifteen minutes."

"What movies are you bringing?"

"Ummm…Ever After… Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants…The Shining and…hold on, lemme check…ooo and Remember the Titans."

"Remember the Titans? I LOVE that movie." I squealed.

"Duh. That's why I got it."

"Aaw Mols, you know me so well."

Molly laughed. "Gotta go, hun. See you in ten."

I hung up and raced to the bathroom, proceeding to take what was probably the quickest shower of my life. I quickly went to the kitchen and grabbed some chips, sodas and chocolate bars, and trudged back upstairs. Molly came a few minutes later, banging on my door. I let her in.

"Snickers let me in," She called Mr. Smithers Snickers.

I laughed. "You know that annoys him."

"Yeah, I know. But it's fun." She handed me the DVDs and I popped in 'Remember the Titans'.

"Guess who dropped me off."

"Who?"

"Your lover boy. Michael Devonshire."

"Omigod!" Molly squealed. "He's so friggin' hot."

I laughed. Molly has had the biggest crush on Michael since middle school. Michael thinks of her as his little sister, but she absolutely "loves" him.

Molly sighed. "You're so lucky. Having three totally yummilicious hotties for brothers and all their gorgeous friends." She jumped on one of the couches. "I'll never get used to the fact that you have a whole living room in your bedroom."

I shook my head. "I don't really think of any of my bros' friends in that way. I used to, though. But after constantly hear them burping and farting I kinda got really turned off."

Molly raised her eyebrow. "I got two words for you, Sere. Darien Shields."

I threw a pillow at her. "Except for him."

"You're so mean to him, though."

"_Excuse_ me? He's always picking on me. He thinks of me as his best friend's kid sister. Darien Shields will never think of me in that way."

"Never say never."

"I hate it when you say that." I grumbled, pretending to watch the movie.

"He probably likes you, you know." Molly nudged me.

"Yeah when he was like eight."

Molly frowned. "Huh?"

"He kissed me when we were kids." I mumbled, looking down.

"No way! When was this? How come you never told me?"

"You never asked."

Molly rolled her eyes. "Well, duh. I don't exactly go around asking people if they've ever been kissed."

I shrugged.

"When I first heard you talking about Darien I thought you hated the guy."

"I do. I hate loving him." I grabbed some chips and began chewing.

"That's a good way of putting it."

"It doesn't really matter anyway. He knows so many pretty girls. They all have perfect hair and perfect make-up and awesome clothes. Plus they're all super skinny. I don't think I've ever seen him without a girl clinging to his arm. There's no way he would ever like me and I'm not about to get my hopes up."

Molly rolled her eyes. "Serena, you have perfectly good hair and nice clothes. You might not be super skinny but you're not overweight either. You've got the curves. Besides, if Darien doesn't like you because of your physical appearance, then he's not worth it."

"Ever thought of going into psychology? You'd make a great therapist."

Molly shook her fist at me and I laughed.

I looked at the screen and sighed. "I need to get my mind off this shit."

"So why don't you? Go out with other guys."

I shook my head. "I couldn't do that to myself or the guy. It would make me miserable."

"Then go for the other option."

"What's that?"

"Make a move on Darien."

I rolled over and looked at the time. 2:38am. I groaned. Just my luck. I wouldn't be able to go back to sleep for a while now that I was awake. I looked at Molly lying next to me. She was sleeping like the dead, snoring slightly. I shook my head and fell back onto my pillow. We'd gone to sleep at around 11pm, with both our stomachs filled with junk food. We'd talked for a while about our lives, and then kind of drifted off. I moved around restlessly. I couldn't stay in bed. I needed to do something. Then it came to me: food! I got out of bed and quietly tiptoed out of my room. I crept to the kitchen, making sure not to make any sound so I wouldn't wake anybody. I switched on the lights and made a beeline for the fridge. I literally drooled seeing all the yummy food that was in there.

"Come to mama." I said gleefully as I grabbed the chocolate fudge ice-cream cake. I wasn't supposed to eat the cake under Mrs. L's strict orders, but I figured I'd just blame it on one of my brothers. I plunked onto to one of the stools and dug in. I was halfway through the cake when I heard a noise outside the kitchen. My mouth full, I shoved the cake into one of the cabinets and quickly wiped the counter. Right at that second, Darien Shields walked in. He froze when he saw me. "Serena? What are you doing here?"

I somehow managed to swallow the rest of the food in my mouth without making it too obvious. "Where have you been in the past six months? Hello! I live here."

He laughed. "Yeah, I know. Trust me, I haven't forgotten. What are you doing down here in the kitchen at three in the morning?"

"Uhh…I was…I was…sleep walking." I finished lamely.

Darien smirked, coming closer. "Really?"

"Really." He was still coming closer.

"I see."

"What are you doing here? Why aren't you out partying with the rest of your freaks? It's a Friday night, you know." I said nervously, trying to shake off the effect he was having on me. I was suddenly aware that I was standing in front of him in my pajamas. With purple ducks all over them. I wanted to die.

"Matt and I decided to chill here this Friday. We were too tired to go out. I came down to get a drink." He was standing right in front of me.

"I bet all those super skinny models tired you out." Shit. Had I just really said that?

"How would you know about all my super skinny models?" he asked softly. We were standing merely inches apart now. This was way too close for my comfort. I moved back, my back hitting the kitchen counter.

I swallowed. "I have my ways."

"Oh, really? What do you do? Stalk me?"

"No! Absolutely not! I've better things to do than care about what you and your snobby friends are up to." I replied heatedly.

"Then how do you know about my 'super skinny models'?" Darien asked, folding his arms.

"It's kinda hard not to. I mean, you're always over here and there's always a whole fan club attached to your arm."

He raised his eyebrows. "What else do you notice about me, princess?"

"Bite me, loser." I spat.

Darien grinned a wide smile; showing off his whiter-than-white perfect teeth. "My pleasure." He grabbed me by my waist and lifted me towards him. Pinning both my arms behind my back with one hand and tilting my head back with another, he sank his teeth into my neck. My mouth opened and formed an 'o' of surprise. He made strong suction with his teeth while gently sucking my neck and blowing on it. My head fell back and I made a strangled noise. I took my arms from his grasp and willingly wrapped it around his shoulders, running my hands freely through his hair; something I've dreamed of doing for a long time. He grabbed my head and pulled me up for an amazing kiss. He cupped both my cheeks with his hand and held me steady as our tongues battled. I wrapped my leg around his hip and he ground against me, pushing me up against the counter. His hands went below my shirt and lifted it, attempting to take it off. I froze.

"Darien…"

"I know, baby. I want it, too. Matt probably has a condom in his room somewhere. Give me a quick second and I'll go find it."

Huh? What _the_-

"What the hell are you talking about? I'm _not_ about to have sex with you."

"You're not?" he looked confused.

"No! Not on the damn kitchen counter!"

"That's okay. We'll go find a bed."

"Oh my God, Darien, that's not the point."

"What's the point?"

"The point is that what just happened was a total mistake. It'll never happen again."

"Why the fuck not? I feel it and you feel it. Hell, we even felt it at the age of eight."

"Do you ever think of anything but sex?" I hissed at him, furious.

"Yes." He replied softly. "I think of you."

He grabbed my hand before I could walk away "I think of you every single day. Ever since I first saw you, in your blonde pigtails and pick socks and sweet smile. We're meant for each other, Sere. No point in trying to deny it. You're mine; you always will be, whether we do it on the kitchen counter or not."

I stood there completely speechless. I felt an excited shiver within me and I suppressed it, telling myself that I did not enjoy hearing what Darien had just said.

I yanked my hand away from Darien's and walked away, not trusting myself to speak. I sneaked back up to my room and snuggled back into bed. Molly was still sleeping soundly. I let out the huge breath I was holding and buried my face in my pillow. My thoughts of Darien troubled me endlessly as I tried to fall into a restless sleep.

Hey u guys thanks to everyone who reviewed…yeah I know I took a while to put up this chapter but I was really stuck lol…ill try to put in some more on the next one..nyways, keep the reviews coming..xoxo


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